Four-Member Taliban Delegation Arrives In Tehran To Attend Conference

Following months of heated disputes between the Islamic Republic and the Taliban concerning water rights, a four-member Taliban delegation has recently travelled to Iran.

The delegation's purpose is to take part in the 37th International Islamic Unity Conference, as reported by Iran's state news agency, IRNA, citing the Islamic Republic's Embassy in Kabul.

In May, a clash between Iranian border guards and the Afghan Taliban resulted in the deaths of at least two Iranians and one Taliban soldier. According to a report in the Iranian reformist daily newspaper Ham-Mihan, approximately 50 Iranians have lost their lives in border skirmishes with the Taliban since 2021.

Despite Iran's official non-recognition of the Taliban government, several delegations from the Taliban have made trips to Iran following their assumption of power in Afghanistan. In June 2022, Taliban representatives visited Tehran to participate in a border commission summit between Tehran and Kabul.

The Taliban move to cut off Helmand River's water flow from Afghanistan has had dire consequences for the inhabitants of the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan. Wetlands in Sistan have transformed into salt flats, the once-thriving wildlife has vanished, and many local villages have been deserted.